It’s the end of a month, so we have another EdTech grant recipient to announce! The awardee in February is Laura Luker, the librarian at Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley, Massachusetts! Laura works with children of different ages beginning in elementary school and all the way up through high school. And, some of these students are challenged with some pretty cool projects every year. So, that’s where we came in. Laura knew that her projects would be better with STEAM solutions infused, which led her to apply for our grant. We thought she had a genius idea and were happy to offer her this award!
The students Laura works most closely with are eighth graders at PVCICS and, every year, they try a tough challenge. They must all create a project that results in taking action based on one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Of course, sustainability is very important throughout today’s climate-intensive world and helping students become more aware of how they can play a part is a great use of STEM instruction.
One group of Laura’s students is planning on researching the impact that fashion now has on the world, for instance. They are planning on addressing the idea of people upcycling and enhancing their clothing rather than constantly buying newer things. One of the ways we could help with an experience like this is with the Teknikio Wearables Kit. Laura saw this on our store and thought it would fit nicely with this particular STEM project to help her students make old clothing new again. We agree and think this potential project holds a lot of intriguing possibilities for innovative and inventive STEM learning.
Some of Laura’s other students want to utilize the Padcaster digital recording equipment in taping some of their unique experiences. One group, for example, is hoping to tour an aquaponics space at a local college and record things they see while another wants to use a green screen to shoot and produce informational videos about important topics—both of which are fabulous ideas and great uses of this technology!
In Laura’s eyes, these projects and similar ones can add value to the world and illuminate potentially global problems. On top of that, the projects will certainly get kids thinking creatively, but, more importantly, Laura knows they will also see how we can all use technology to help in the real world.
Laura is also considering how this technology she receives from us can serve students this year and in the years to come (hence the sustainability theme), which is a smart mindset when researching new tech tools. These Padcaster kits, especially, are handy for helping kids produce public service announcement videos year after year if they choose. As worldwide issues, including climate change, for example, persist, that's a very effective use of technology in the real world!
Whatever projects students are working on, they must adhere to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and include relevant action steps. After they complete their projects, members from each team will present the final versions at a showcase program in April. Families, educators, legislators, and media members will all be on hand and eager to hear about what they’ve accomplished. This whole plan is very impressive and we’re incredibly excited to help Laura and her students with this EdTech grant.
If you'd like to learn more and see updates from the project, Laura is on Twitter at @MsLuker. If you would like to apply for our next educational technology grant, the application for the March award will open on up tomorrow and remain open until March 20! To learn more about our $500 monthly technology grant and to submit an application, explore our grant page. And, be sure to check us out on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more updates on our EdTech grant and from the world of educational technology!